Friday, 21 June 2013

Kent, Surrey & Sussex Air Ambulance has announced the arrival of its new helicopter. The newer version of the MD902 Explorer aircraft will replace the charity’s existing helicopter based at Redhill ready for night flying in late summer.

In preparation for the 24-hour operation, the charity’s specialist doctor and paramedic crew have already begun to deliver a medical service using an emergency response car through the night.

Adrian Bell, Chief Executive of the Kent, Surrey & Sussex Air Ambulance, said: ‘We believe that there is a real and identifiable need for the skills of a specialist medical team during the night as well as through the day.

“To this end, we have replaced one of our helicopters with a new version capable of night operations. While we are waiting for the necessary regulatory processes to be completed we have started operating by car during the hours of darkness.

“This has been a very useful exercise in helping us to prepare for a 24-hour operation and has allowed us to learn more about the technicalities and logistics of operating at night without the incumbencies of aviation issues.”

The Kent, Surrey & Sussex Air Ambulance has helicopters based at Marden and Redhill. The helicopter at Marden will continue to operate during daylight hours and is expected to be replaced with a night flying capable aircraft within the next 18 months.

Tuesday, 18 June 2013

On Sunday 9th June 2013 Biddenden Vineyards hosted its annual food & drink day “Taste the Best of Produced in Kent”. The event, which is held in aid of the Kent Air Ambulance saw over 1800 visitors – a record number for the day, now in its seventh year.

Nearly 40 producers took part, with products including locally made cheeses, chutneys, beers, liqueurs, game, plants, pies, wool products, sauces, cobnuts and much more. The vineyard shop was also open as usual offering tastings of its wines, ciders & juices as well as Ploughman’s lunches made using local cheeses and ham.

All stand holder fees were donated in full to the Kent Air Ambulance, along with donations being taken from visitors on the day. A raffle was also held, with prizes being donated from every stand holder, and this year’s lucky winner was Denise Clifford of Tenterden.

Overall a grand total of £4074.14 was raised for the Air Ambulance, which will be presented to them next month.

The date for next year’s event has been set at Sunday 14th June 2014.

The vineyard is open throughout the year with free admission and tastings. Free tours run for individuals on selected dates - for more information please visit www.biddendenvineyards.com.

Jonathan and Philip pictured at the Derbyshire, Leicestershire & Rutland Air Ambulance base at East Midlands Airport

A pair of bikers are setting off this weekend on a nationwide tour of Air Ambulance bases in a bid to raise £32,000 for the life-saving charity helicopters.

Philip Summerfield, 38, and Jonathan Porter, 34, will start their epic 3,400-mile journey from East MidlandsAirport on Saturday (June 22nd).

In total, they will visit 19 Air Ambulance charities across 30 helicopter bases in England, Scotland and Wales and will combine their whistlestop tour with a trip to Land’s End and John O’Groats.

On Wednesday, (June 26th) they will stop off at the Kent, Surrey & Sussex Air Ambulance headquarters at Marden where they will meet the pilot, doctor and paramedic.

Philip said: “Everyone uses the road network whether for work, home or pleasure, so with an average of around 45% of Air Ambulance call-outs being to road traffic accidents, this places us all in need of the service.

“Being a keen motorcyclist for more than 22 years, I’m fully aware of the importance of the role a helicopter can play in the rapid response to a medical emergency.”

Philip, from Derby, and Jonathan, from Cheltenham, estimate that their average distance each day will be 245 miles over 10 hours and that both bikes will have used 725 litres of fuel by the time they complete a full circuit of Great Britain on July 5th.

Philip added: “We are asking people to consider supporting our efforts to raise funds and awareness of the Air Ambulance services that provide vital emergency medical assistance for every person in every part of the country.”

Monday, 17 June 2013

Photo: James, Gary and Trevor pictured on the steps of Eastbourne Police Station

A team of Sussex Police officers will be among the riders taking part in a charity bike ride in aid of Kent, Surrey & Sussex Air Ambulance on Sunday (June 23rd).

The Double 100 Cycle Challenge is a 100-mile or 100km ride which starts and finishes at the helicopter base at Redhill Aerodrome and cyclists can still enter the fundraising event.

PCs Trevor Perks, Gary Douglas and James Daniel, based at Eastbourne and Polegate, will be aiming to complete 100 miles in just one day and have so far raised more than £700 for the life-saving charity.

The trio and three colleagues recently completed a 250-mile bike ride from Eastbourne to Dover, Calais to Dieppe and Newhaven back to Eastbourne.

PC Perks, 47, said: “I’ve not ridden 100 miles in one day in 15 years. I was going to do the 100km ride but our sponsors’ generosity has inspired me to aim for 100 miles.

“We came up with our team name ‘Into the Wind’ because whichever direction we rode in France we always seemed to be cycling into the wind!”

PC Douglas, 32, said: “As a road traffic policing officer, I go to a lot of collisions involving serious injuries which the Air Ambulance frequently attends and we work very closely with them.”

PC Daniel, also 32, added: “I’m quite new to cycling and this will be the first time I’ve ever ridden 100 miles in a day but off the back of our trip to France I’m confident I’ll be able to do it.”

The Double 100 is still open to regular and occasional cyclists with feeding stations along the routes and a team of Air Ambulance crew members and former patients will be among the riders.

Other auction prizes included tickets to the British Superbikes at Brands Hatch, A BMW driving experience, a VIP race day at Lingfield and a signed artist’s copy print of Frankel – the highest-rated horse in history after winning all 14 of his career races.

Before the racing got underway, flags flew at half mast and there was a one-minute’s silence for Frankel’s trainer Sir Henry Cecil who died that day aged 70 after a battle with cancer.

Kent businesses will be battling it out in a five-a-side charity football tournament in aid of Kent, Surrey & Sussex Air Ambulance later this month.

Pearson Whiffin Recruitment Group has chosen the life-saving helicopter as its Charity of the Year and will be holding the fundraising event on June 22nd.

Managing director Rob Pearson said: “As part of our corporate social responsibility, we support a different charity each year and were looking for a Kent-based charity for 2013.

“When I looked into the Air Ambulance, I was shocked to learn that it has to raise £5million a year to keep both helicopters flying. It’s a charity that saves lives and one that we all could need one day, god forbid, so I decided to offer our support.”

The football tournament consists of 48 teams from Kent-based businesses and is to be held at Cobdown Sports and Social Club in Ditton, Aylesford.

For the third year running the main sponsor will be Maidstone-based Balreed, an independent, nationwide provider of print technology and managed print services.

Marketing & Events Coordinator Jodie Clarke said: “Balreed are pleased to be given the opportunity to support Pearson Whiffin and such a high profile local charity once again in 2013.

“As a Kent-based business, we are proud to be associated with this popular fundraising event.”

Wednesday, 5 June 2013

An NHS manager from Farnham is gearing up for a 100km charity bike ride in aid of Kent, Surrey & Sussex Air Ambulance later this month.

Sarah Casemore, Head of Primary Care Liaison at Guildford and Waverley Clinical Commissioning Group, has signed up for the Double 100 Cycle Challenge on June 23rd.

The 100-mile or 100km ride starts and finishes at the helicopter base at Redhill Aerodrome and cyclists can still enter the fundraising event.

Sarah said: “This charity supports the NHS and land ambulance service in airlifting sick or injured patients efficiently and in a timely manner to the most appropriate hospital for the individual involved.

“I’ve witnessed patients being taken from the GP surgery by Air Ambulance, especially children, so I know first hand the importance and vital role this service provides.

“I feel passionately that this charity could save the life of any of my friends, family or colleagues as it covers Surrey residents and needs as much funding as possible.”

Sarah, 41, completed the London to Brighton bike ride last year and will be joined by friend James Scott Brown when she takes on the Double 100.

She added: “We need to promote this ride as it really could be any friend, family member, colleague or community member who might need this team.”

The Double 100 is open to regular and occasional cyclists with feeding stations along the routes.

Photos: Province of Surrey members pictured at the Air Ambulance base at Redhill Aerodrome yesterday (Monday)

Visitors to the Kent, Surrey & Sussex Air Ambulance base were surprised to see not one but two air ambulances when the charity’s sister helicopter flew in to re-fuel after attending a mission.

Eric Stuart-Bamford, Provincial Grand Master of Surrey visited the air ambulance base at Redhill with colleagues on Monday (June 3rd) to present the charity with a cheque for £4,000 from the Grand Charity and a further £1,470 from the Surrey Provincial Charity Fund.

Doctor Richard Lyon and paramedic Charlie Leahy showed the party around the helicopter and told them about the life saving work that the air ambulance does and the charity’s plans to be one of the first air ambulances in the country to offer a 24-hour Helicopter Emergency Medical Service.

Jill Playle, Director of Communications at the Kent, Surrey & Sussex Air Ambulance said: “We are so grateful for the tremendous support that the Masons give the charity. This helps us to continue to be able to help people the people of Surrey when they need us the most.”

The Province of Surrey has been a long term supporter of the charity since 2007 when it was first established in the county.

The Provincial Grand Master for Surrey said: “Many of our 300 Lodges are keen supporters of the Air Ambulance and I know that several Lodges also make direct contributions. I am very pleased that we are able to support this essential service which we know saves many lives each year.”

Monday, 3 June 2013

Photo 2: Joe Wilson with Air Ambulance doctor John O’Neill who helped save his life

A Woking teacher rescued by Surrey Air Ambulance after a car crash is gearing up for a 100-mile bike ride in aid of the life-saving charity later this month.

Darren Cooper, 29, was driving to work when his car veered across the road and hit a tree on the other side.

He suffered a fractured skull and was airlifted to King’s CollegeHospital major trauma centre in London where he spent the next two weeks.

He needed two operations to rebuild his eye socket but has since made a full recovery following the accident in 2008.

Darren has now signed up for the Air Ambulance’s Double 100 Cycle Challenge on June 23rd – a 100-mile or 100km ride which starts and finishes at the helicopter base at Redhill Aerodrome.

He said: “I want to get fit again after a year out from cycling and I want to support the Air Ambulance because they helped me a few years ago.”

The father of a former patient from Ripley will also be among this year’s riders and cyclists can still enter the fundraising event.

GeorgeAbbotSchool pupil Joe Wilson was crossing a road when he collided with a car on the final day of his GCSE exams last June.

Hesuffered a serious head injury and fractured collarbone and was given an emergency anaesthetic at the road-side – an advanced medical procedure usually performed only in hospital.

He spent five weeks at St George’sHospital major trauma centre in London before he was eventually allowed home and has since made a good recovery.

Now his father Chris is preparing for his second Double 100 and will be joined by four friends.

He said: “The prompt arrival of the Air Ambulance team and the rapid treatment they gave Joe at the roadside saved his life. The hospital told us that without the treatment they provided, he probably wouldn't have pulled through.”

The Double 100 is open to regular and occasional cyclists with feeding stations along the routes.

Kent, Surrey & Sussex Air Ambulance Trust is a registered charity established to relieve sick and injured people in South East England and surrounding areas by providing a Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS).

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About us

Kent, Surrey & Sussex Air Ambulance Trust is a registered charity established to relieve sick and injured people in South East England and surrounding areas by providing a Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS).
Responding swiftly to 999 calls, the Air Ambulance can deliver a highly skilled team of Specialist Doctors and Critical Care Paramedics to the patient at the scene.